The Death of the Ainu, the Birth of Japan
by SylverMystress
Summary: Based on the characters of the ancient Ainu epic Kotan Utunnai. The Ainu tribes of Yaunkur and Repunkur are in danger of Mongol invasion. Please R/R!!
1. Prologue

A/N: This is a story based upon the characters of the ancient Ainu epic Kotan Utunnai. I don't expect a whole bunch of people to have heard of it, but I loved the little English summarization of it that is in my World Mythology book and I thought I would enjoy writing a fanfic on it. (It's supposed to be from Shipish-Un-Mat's P.O.V.)  
  
**Disclaimer: Oh yes, the dread disclaimer. Let me just say: this disclaimer will apply for the whole freaking `fic so I don't have to worry about it in the future. Deal? Good. Sooooo...I do not own nor claim to own any of the characters of the Kotan Utunnai. Thank you, drive through.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The Death of the Ainu, the Birth of Japan~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The sun dawned on the great island of Hokkaido and the early-morning autumn front left the land glittering like a thousand diamonds for the light of a new day. Oxen squinted their eyes against the brightness of the rising sun, silver fish appeared through the clear and cold streams, and rooster came out of their huts to give their daily alarm. The chickens must wake up and count their newly laid eggs. It was a new day, doubtless like any other day of the year for the Yaunkur, the people of the land.  
  
Yet, that day was not like any other day, for in the great township of Shinu, home of the Yaunkur King, a watchman ran the fastest he could across the major Shinu road that led to the King's palace.  
  
"Komuroi! What is wrong?" cried one of the King's gate guards as he saw the watchman running to him. The look on Komuroi's face was pure agony and the gate guard noticed that Komuroi was holding his side, which was bleeding profusely.  
  
"I need to talk to the King!" panted Komuroi.  
  
"But Komuroi, you are hurt! I must send you to the palace physician," the second gate guard said with authority.  
  
But Komuroi wouldn't have it. "No!" he said determinedly. "I must speak to Shinu-Un-Kur, even if I die in the process!" He fell to his knees.  
  
The first gate guard helped Komuroi to his feet and led him into the palace, through the royal courtyard and into the King's meeting room. The room was cold and poorly lit. The stone walls were grey and depressing. There was a grand wooden chair in the middle of the room and in front of it set a massive wooden table. On this table is where the gate guard helped lay down Komuroi. Soon, the Shinu-Un-Kur, the King of the Yaunkur people, strode in and sat down in the large wooden chair.  
  
The gate guard bowed deeply in respect of his king. "Irankarapte, my king! Please forgive Komuroi for not bowing, Master, but he is experiencing a great deal of pain."  
  
The Shinu-Un-Kur nodded his head and asked, "Why is one of my royal watchmen bleeding all over this wooden table and not in the physician's quarters?"  
  
"My king!" began Komuroi. "Do not send me to the royal doctor until you have heard what I must say!"  
  
"Continue," said Shinu-Un-Kur.  
  
"My watch partner is dead. There are men on the outskirts of Shinu of which I do not recognize. Their whiskers are long and their faces are dark. They have cold eyes like hawks and they speak in an unknown language! My partner tracked them a short distance to see where they were headed. When he came back, he had a spear in his side and he died in front of me! The strange men followed him to me and took me by surprise. I thank the gods that I was able to escape them, although I am badly wounded."  
  
Shinu-Un-Kur stroked his beard. The only people other than the Yaunkur were the nearby Repunkur, the people of the sea. Yet, the Repunkur language was not unknown to his Yaunkur people. Who could these strange people be? thought the king.  
  
Shinu-Un-Kur then deployed twice the amount of watchmen for Shinu and spies to travel about the villages and into the lands of the Repunkur. If the Repunkur were gaining allies, thought Shinu-Un-Kur, their punishment will be worse than what it was when they took his younger brother and most fearsome Yaunkur warrior, Kamui-otopush. After he send that order out, he sent out another one: to call upon his youngest sister-in-law, Shipish-Un-Mat. 


	2. Moon Goddess Incarnate

**Standard disclaimer still applies.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Perhaps before I go into the details of my story of the strange invaders, I should tell you about my beginnings.   
  
My name is Shipish-Un-Mat.  
  
I was born a princess of the Repunkur tribe in the township of Shipish. We were called "The People of the Sea." My father and mother were fierce warriors and gave our old family of rulers the dignity they deserved. They were just and fair, maintaining order among our people. They were the protectors of the Repunkur.  
  
When I was still in my mother's womb, I was blessed by the Moon Goddess with special gifts. I was told that the Moon Goddess came down to my mother when she pregnant for four and a half months. The Moon Goddess laid one hand across her forehead and the other on my mother's belly. She poured into me her mind. I was to be in the likeness of my mother: thick ebony hair, pale skin, dark eyes, delicate boned. Yet, my mind was in the likeness of the goddess. I was to have a superior aptitude for learning. I was to be a gallant mistress in the art of war. And I was to have the gift of foresight.   
  
Everything the Moon Goddess told my mother came true. I looked like a younger version of my mother, but my mind belonged to the goddess of the night. I was a rapid learner, soaking up every bit of knowledge the Elders in the mountains taught me. My soothsaying abilities began to appear when I was the equivalent of fourteen years old. By then, I was becoming a concentrated warrior, able to protect myself and my people.   
  
I became an expert in tracking through the mountains, the art of hand-to-hand combat and fighting with various instruments of weaponry. I was especially good with a sword.  
  
When I was fifteen years old, there was a special ceremony in my honor. I was given a special sword that had been passed down through the Shipish princesses. I was blessed under the observance of the gods and honored as the Protectoress to remain a virgin throughout my youth and watch over the lives of my Repunkur people.  
  
When I was seventeen, I was as respected as my parents and my older brother, Shipish-Un-Kur. We four were the cement that held our people together and held our enemies at bay.   
  
But upon that year, there was a terrible battle against a southern tribe that called upon all the power of my family and our people's strength. The leader of the enemy tribe was a ruthless warrior who wanted our waters that were rich with fish. There was much blood shed upon Repunkur ground before the enemy was finally taken down by my older brother and I. Part of that blood was my mother's and father's. My people were in deep mourning for a long time, yet still angry and cautious. There were many of our loved ones buried after the battle. Our binds were not broken, though. Instead of sending down a whole army of our people, my brother took with him his stealthiest warriors. We infiltrated the township of the enemy's heir and killed him and his entire family, leaving no heir left to their throne.  
  
After our covert triumph, my brother returned to properly claim the throne after avenging our family and our people's families. I returned to the Elders in the mountains to continue strengthening my power.  
  
The Elders were always pleased about my ability to see into the future. They made sure to lay beautiful flowers and rice on the foot of the statue of the Moon Goddess every evening. I was made sure to harness my power to its fullest extent. Murtimi-kaju was my main mentor. She was a great aunt who had also been blessed by the Moon Goddess. Her powers, long honed by years of experience, were greater than my own. It was she who told me of my future.  
  
My future with the Yaunkur.  
  
Murtimi-kaju told me that my brother would grow foolish, and his heart would blacken. She told me that a Yaunkur man would be captured under Shipish-Un-Kur's direction, which would bring about fatal consequences. She said that this man's younger brother would become my future husband, and eventually dishonor my title of Protectoress. He would take my virginity before my youth was over when I turned thirty-four years old…but that I must accept this because should I fight him and help my brother to defeat them, my brother's black heart would eventually affect me.  
  
She told met that I would come to see this myself in due time.  
  
And she told me that I would have my revenge for my dishonor. 


End file.
